Tackle Zone Team Trophy @ UK Games Expo'24 - 3rd Place!

Tackle Zone Team Trophy - UK Games Expo 2024

Preamble

Well, I'm just about keeping up with the tournament reports. It's been a busy few months with reports for the NAF Champs, Beast and Kent Team Champs... and now Tackle Zone.

This was a Teams tournament, but with a massive team of six coaches playing in a pool of 10 teams. Each coach was given a table number and they would play the same table # in the opposition team. There were 5 games to be played across Saturday and Sunday Something a bit different! 

UK Games Expo 2024

But what really set this tournament apart was my first trip to the Birmingham NEC where the UK Games Expo was being hosted. In amongst all this were a bunch of different games and tournaments being played. According to the stats, there were nearly 40,000 people attending the Expo across the weekend.

There were two halls of board game and associated merchandise vendors... and they were big! Lots of food on offer too, and streaming and talks etc. There were people going around with small carts loaded with their purchases, as well as people in Cosplay... I even saw a Dalek buying a hand bag!!

And there were board games of every imagining, brand and film... 

Let's not Fallout over this...

We were camped in the gaming hall...

Outside the NEC in amongst a lot of tents, with metal working and various historically themed people there was what looked like a gathering of Romans and Saxons ready to fight it out...

Saxons spoiling for a fight...

...Contenders ready!

Team Redshirts

Looking back, we've not done too badly as Team Redshirts. I was lucky enough to be invited to participate 5 years ago now, and with various sizes of team tournaments and availability, our Squad has grown. This time around, Team Redshirts consisted of this band of wretches...

Myrmedon, Wotfudboy, Mr_Frodo, VultureSquadron, SCS Sam and Howlinggriffon

Ironically, not everyone had a red shirt in their closet... Something to work on for next time! 😆

Tackle Zone Team Tournament

Day One - Match One

First up was Bob (Hobbitsfoot) with his Human Team, part of the Mayhem Blood Bowl League team

Hobbitsfoot

We rolled for fans... and rolled 3 vs 4. It was Perfect Weather (PW) and I won the kick off roll (6 vs 1) and chose to receive. And the kick off event was Cheering Fans - Bad Habits, leading to 3x Human players getting Loner (2+) - marked with yellow bands (see pic below).

Orcs vs Humans

We picked up the ball on the right hand side after making a few 'safe' blocks on the LoS. In return, the proned human Ogre Bone-headed twice in a row, and a human blitzer skulled his one-dice blitz, went to reroll it... rolled a loner roll of 1 and therefore face-planted into the pitch.

By turn 3/2 the Orcs came up with (and executed) a cunning plan to crowd-surf a human Guard blitzer, and this was so awesome that the Ogre Bone-headed a 3rd time, much to the disbelief of the crowd!

The Ogre did eventually stand up, but by this time the Orcs had the ball deep in the human half, and they stalled until turn 8/7 to score, and go 1-0 (0-0). A very poor showing on the injury front from both sides, but the humans did at least have a human lineman return from a KO.

Turn 8/8 saw an Officious Ref that led to an Orc Bigun being stunned. Then the humans deployed the ace-up-their-sleeve with a Throw Team Mate attempt... And it was so nearly perfect 9well, with the help of the remaining rerolls), with a successful pickup, handoff, Bone-Head pass, throw, 3x favourable scatters, landed made some dodges but failed the very last dodge... Phew!

The second half felt like it breezed past... but we inflicted an early casualty on a human lineman and soon the numbers were against the humans. They eventually crumbled and the orcs scored again, finishing the match 2-0 (2-0).

Overall, the Redshirts beat Mayhem League 3/1/2 ... a close round! Redshirts 1/0/0 so far!

We then had a nice long break for lunch before round 2, so I spent a couple of hours looking around the vendor halls... and grabbed an over-priced sandwhich.

Match 2

This time I was up against Team Waterbowl's Levinas (aka Paul) and his Skaven.

Levinas

The fans roll was 2 each, with PW and I won the kick roll (3-2) and chose to receive again. The kick off event was Cheering Fans - but this time, Blessed Statue of Nuffle and I received Pro on my Orc Blitzer.

Orcs vs Skaven

The Skaven kicker earnt his cheese as the kick went deep into the Orc half, which meant the Blodge Gutter Runners, and the unskilled and Wrestle GR joined them in pressing into the opposition half. But this was only after we had KO'd a linerat on the LoS. Fortunately, the Orcs secured the ball and were able to defend the ball carrier from the sneaky rats. They did have a sniff of a chance though, but a reroll of a 2-dice-uphill from a Gutter Runner on the caged Orc Thrower resulted in a skull.

The Orcs made their way up the field but couldn't hurt the rats or make good ground. In the end, the Orcs managed to create a chance for themselves, needing a 3+ dodge, a 2+ animosity roll and a 3+ hand-off to score... but of course failed the rerolled dodge roll and promptly hurt himself! So 0-0 (0-0) after the first half.

The second half began with the kick off result being Greasy Cleats, which meant the unskilled Gutter Runner had -MA. The Rat Thrower failed to pick up and this invited pressure from the Orcs who managed to turn the ball over and score in turn 4/4 after hurting the Thrower 1-0 (1-0).

Changing Weather on kick off led to the ball being in my endzone and the Gutter Runners learnt from the first half and equalised, but only after conceding another casualty 1-1 (2-0).

We had two turns to attempt a TTM ourselves. The Roster change from the NAF Champs meant my Goblin was a real threat now... and we had a reroll in hand. The pick up worked but the handoff to the awaiting Goblin sat by the Troll failed. Fortunately, the Skaven couldn't put too much pressure on in their turn 8 and we managed to clear them away and try again. But it needed the Orc Thrower to make a 4+ pick up with Sure Hands (with a rat tackle zone) and hand off following a 2+ animosity roll, to the Goblin (3+), pass the Really Stupid 2+ and Hungry 2+, and then make a good throw and scatter... and ran in for the TD following some dodges! My heart was beating fast and Paul was gutted... but we came out 2-1 (2-0) winners. 

What a TTM star!

Overall, the Redshirts beat Waterbowl 4/1/1 ... a thumping victory! Redshirts 2/0/0 so far!

Match 3

Next up was Team Wales's RickWreckless and his Underworld. Unfortunately for me, the rules changes for Swarming were not in effect here... (although the Guard not being able to affect fouling was).

RickWreckless

We both 1'd on the fans roll, rolled PW, and I rolled 2 vs 1 to receive the kick off. Swarming resulted in 1x Snotling coming on to the pitch and an Officious Ref led to a UW Goblin being stunned.

Orcs vs Underworld

I managed to KO an UW Goblin in turn 1/0 and turn 1/1 resulted in the Rat Ogre rolling a both down. However, my Tackle Blitzer got targeted and was knocked prone and then fouled to death. This was major... particularly against all that dodge!

In pathetic revenge we KO'd a Snotling and then managed to create a 2x dice block on the Rat Ogre ... and promptly changed a push/skull into a skull/skull on reroll. Doh!

However, we did manage to hurt the Rat Ogre, in turn 5/4 (1-0) and Rick wasted his Apothecary trying to recover him... but the Underworld team managed to sack the ball carrier (with far too many 2+ dodge rolls being made for my liking to get assists!) and I ended up being 0-1 (1-0) down at the end of the first half.

The second half began with Blessed Statue resulting in Pro on my Goblin... but the game changer was the 2-Headed Gutter Runner coming on to the pitch. I was stronger as a team but the Gutter Runner was so speedy and could move through any line.

The drive began with 10 vs 13 as 2x Snotlings came on for Swarming and it was soon 9 vs 13 as a Big Un was KO'd. Our Troll managed to hurt the On-the-ball Skaven Thrower in turn 2/2 and this started an avalanche of successive injuries as it was (4-0) by turn 3/3. However, we had 2 blitzes on the 2 Headed Gutter Runner, and they either failed or didn't break armour and the Underworld recovered the ball easily... and by turn 5/6 we were 0-2 down.

Turn 6/6 began with another UW injury (5-0), but my Troll had already been KO'd and then my Goblin was killed... so no chance of a TTM later! (5-1).

The UW scored once more as it was open season still with 2+ dodges and that cursed Gutter Runner and the game finished with me losing 0-3 (8-1). 

I hate Snotlings and Gutter Runners even more now than before!! 😄

Overall, the Redshirts lost to Team Wales 1/3/2 ... another close round! Redshirts 2/0/1 so far!

Evening out!

After being thrashed, the Redshirts went out for a curry in Solihull, at a place called the Spice Club. That was a very nice Lamb Dhansak!

All happy after a good feed!

Day Two - Match Four

To kick off the day I was up against Mournival (aka Ryan) and his Amazons from Team Scotland.

Mournival

Fans was 2 vs 4, PW and I lost the kick off (2 vs 3) and was asked to kick... but a Blitz! on kick off gave me the initiative as I moved 5x free players. The blitz itself resulted in double-pushes though.

Orcs vs Amazons

The 1st half began with the Amazons collecting the ball and attacking the left of centre... but then they switched to the right hand side, then back to the left as the Orcs but in a tough defence and refused to get drawn in. 

The first casualty came in turn 4/4 as we hurt a Linezon (1-0). Turn 5/5 saw my Troll double skull, pass the loner, reroll and getting splats, but no injury for his trouble. I thought my defence was all over as the Amazons surged foward and the Orcs had to sprint to come back round in enough numbers to defend, but a snaked GFI left an Orc Blitzer face-planted, and the defence looking decidedly shaky. 

However, after the Troll inflicted another Linezon casualty (2-0) (which was Apo'd) we managed to sack the ball carrier, send the ball in to the crowd, leaving the Orc thrower and friends to secure the ball.

Unfortunately for me, a nothing one-dice block from the Amazon was a skull... and I, in my transparent way, pointed out to Ryan that he had a reroll left (which he had missed and was perfectly prepared to take the hit) and rerolled into a splat which then killed my Tackle Blitzer!!! Noooo!!! and the half ended 0-0 (2-1).

For the second half I can't read my own notes for what the kick event was, but the ball went deep in to the back left of my field. We managed to KO a Linezon and picked up the ball... and then in turn 1/1 a Linezon hurt herself from failing a dodge (11 vs 9 already!)... which we then followed up in turn 2/1 by KOing a Jaguar Warrior (11 vs 8). By the end of my 3rd turn there were 4x Amazons in the KO box and it was just a case of securing the TD. The match ended 1-0 (2-1).

Overall, the Redshirts suffered a convincing loss to Team Scotland 1/2/3 ... Redshirts 2/0/2 so far!

Match Five - Final game

The last match was against an adversary that I faced as recently as the NAF Championships - DrTechnoTrousers and his... ugghh... Snotlings... with Riotous Rookies and Swarming... yuk!

DrTechnoTrousers

It was 2 vs 4 for fans rolling, PW and 6 vs 4 for kick off... and I chose to receive. Jack rolled 6x Riotous Rookies and got the maximum 3x Snotlings for Swarming!... Ooof!!

Orcs vs Snotlings

Quick Snap allowed my Blitzer to be in a position to catch the ball, which he promptly did. From there on it was pretty tough going. We did hurt a singular Snotling in the first half, but with Snotling shenanigans going on everywhere, such as Fungus Flingers and Snotlings being thrown at us, we pushed quick up the right wing and eventually contained the Snotlings to score 1-0 in turn 8/7 (1-0).

However, a perfect set of dice for a TTM (and very favourable scatter and landing) meant the 2+ dodges to score was easily achieved along with the GFI. 1-1 (1-0). Gutted.

But then the second half began, and the Snotlings almost immediately did exactly the same thing (after all their bribe rolls etc)... and went 1-2 up. Double gutted.

The Orcs gathered around for a team-huddle and after speaking to my Redshirt team mates I decided to push for the 'safe' draw and scored in the last turn of the game to make it 2-2 (1-0)... yes, that's right... just one casualty inflicted in a game vs Snotlings... who hurt themselves far more than I hurt them!

This was a really good, challenging and fun game. But I've had my fill of Snotlings, Swarming and 2+ dice for the weekend!! 😀 

Overall, the Redshirts scored a final round win, beating the "Hey Listen" team 3/1/2 ... Leaving Team Redshirts with an overall result of 3/0/2 and enough bonus points to make the difference!

Closing Notes

I finished on 3/1/1 for the weekend, and the Redshirts finished 3rd overall after Team Tacklezone imploded during their final round.

Dan set about handing out the awards, with Team Wales winning overall, and Team Scotland coming second. Congratulations!

Team Winners

Team Wales - Winners

Team Scotland - 2nd place

Team Redshirts - 3rd place

Bears Army - Last place - but great sports!

Individuals

Apologies, but I need to confirm which picture was the overall winner, and which were the winners of their respective #1-6 tables... watch this space (and please comment to help me!!).

Wooden Spoon - DaniPlayerOne

Jayward best overall individual coach and table 5 winner

Board 1 winner?

Misspelled Tree winning best table 2 with Dark Elves

Torquemada winning best board 3

Gorgoroth winning best table 4

Board 6 winner - PercyTheTroll

Organisers/Refs

Thanks to these guys for the event! - you know who they are!!

It was an enjoyable tournament, just the right length. Some learnings for the organisers around pull-up banners for the table areas, keeping picnic goers off our tables when pitches weren't down and all that. But minor points and overall, very good!

Lastly... the Group photo/video of all the coaches (apart from me who took the pictures!!)

Tackle Zone participants - #1 - Centre

Tackle Zone participants - #2 - Panning Right

Tackle Zone participants - #3 - Panning Left

Thanks to the organisers, all my lovely opponents, my team mates and everyone who made it an enjoyable experience! Feel free to comment here if you liked this, or need me to update something!